Mexico Gets the Green Light

We’re continuing our scaling-up efforts to provide adequate service and support to all partners for successful implementation of Poverty Stoplight special projects or establishment of new hubs globally, Lilian Duarte (Poverty Stoplight Specialist) traveled to Mexico City on September 29, to provide technical assistance to Union Social de Empresarios de Mexico (USEM) for the takeoff of the Hub in Mexico.

The technical support to USEM follows the signing of an agreement between both organizations and the visit of their team in September 2017. Working in the last couple of weeks, with support from our team in Paraguay, Lilian has led the process of assisting the USEM team to streamline, organize and develop strategies and materials aimed at building internal capacity and strengthening their operational model to better support their network of partners.

Thus, the adapted indicators were reviewed; worked on the detailed draft of each socioeconomic field of the 50 indicators to determine the best suited to the Mexican reality. This is to ensure that the Mexico Hub provides consistent information and support to all companies and organizations that join its network. The work also covered specifications on data usage, the importance of each field and the statistical relevance. Training on the use of the Poverty Stoplight’s new web platform, to build capacity and decentralize the management of technology, was also conducted.

Other areas of support included providing guidance on legal issues, for the design of a country framework on data-security policy, intellectual property, confidentiality, and rights of the respondents. USEM was also assisted with process systematization for all of its 19 branches across Mexico to ensure that valuable information regarding the implementation of the Poverty Stoplight program is not lost. In addition to this, a customized manual (detailed information on the Poverty Stoplight value proposition and the implementation steps) to enable companies, civil organizations, NGOs, and any sector to implement the Poverty Stoplight was developed. This manual contains information relevant to USEM’s program but is adaptable for any institution that wants to implement the Poverty Stoplight. It will also be used to train companies and organizations within the network onward.

Another important advantage of the visit to Mexico was the opportunity to meet with new companies and members of the USEM council. Our (Fundación Paraguaya) participation in the meetings with pioneering companies implementing the Poverty Stoplight in Mexico and with the members of the USEM council was key in reinforcing trust, building confidence, and reassurance of meeting specific needs of all stakeholders. This experience allowed USEM a firsthand opportunity to observe the first contact process with companies and partners. It also helped in persuading other companies to join the first group of companies in Mexico.

Finally, trainings were also conducted for new companies, including all the members of USEM and the following organizations and companies: CICASA, GENTERA, AMEDIR, Fin Común, Sistemas CC, Fundación Hidalgo, Community in Pachuca, Consulting in Identity Organizational Identity. In total, capacity development provided to USEM includes: sales strategy, value proposition development, strategic communication, report writing, results analysis, program implementation in organizations and consolidation of the program in Mexico.